All-Steel Reciprocating Floor Slat System

ABSTRACT

A roll-formed steel slat for use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system. The roll-formed steel slat is formed in a manner so as to have an upper, load-carrying surface, and a pair of downwardly depending side legs. Each side leg terminates in a foot. One foot is vertically offset from the other to provide a “hold-down” function that prevents the slat from vertically rising as the slat reciprocates back-and-forth.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to reciprocating floor slat conveyorsystems.

BACKGROUND

Reciprocating floor slat conveyor systems are well-known. These systemsare often built into the floors of truck trailers that haul materials inbulk.

The typical reciprocating floor slat conveyor system consists ofmultiple, bearing mounted, parallel floor slats that are drivenback-and-forth in a reciprocating action. The action or motion of thefloor slats are typically driven in “stages” as follows: First, in thecase of truck trailers, all of the slats are moved in one direction, atthe same time. This stage moves the load on the floor a short distancetoward the exit end of the trailer. Then, a lesser number of slats areretracted, or returned, in the opposite direction (typically, in stagesof one-third of the slats at a time). Because of the fewer number ofmoving slats involved in the return stage, the greater total frictionbetween the load and the larger number of nonmoving slats allows themoving slats in the return stage to slide underneath the load, withoutmoving the load backward.

Returning one-third of the slats at a time, in three separate returnstages, brings all of the slats to the original start position, with theload staying in place during the return stages. Once all of the slatsreturn, then the sequence repeats itself, with all of the slats moving,once again, toward the exit end of the trailer. This, in turn, alsomoves the load another short distance toward and out from the exit endof the trailer. Repetitive cycling of the slats in stages in the mannerjust described causes the load to be inched out from the trailer.

There is a specialized market for conveyors like the above. Thesesystems have become a substitute for and have replaced hydraulic dumplifts for certain kinds of applications. From the standpoint ofhistorical development, these kinds of conveyors may have been initiallydeveloped to haul bulk silage for cattle feed and similar kinds of bulkmaterials. Since then, they have been adapted for many other uses, suchas the garbage hauling markets; and certain kinds of specialized designshave been developed that allow trucks with these conveyors to haul rock,gravel, or asphalt.

As a consequence of different market needs, many different kinds offloor slat configurations have been designed over the years to adaptreciprocating floor slat conveyors to different hauling scenarios. Thefloor slats themselves are usually made from aluminum, for reasonsrelating to weight (i.e., light weight systems are desirable for trucktrailers), and due to manufacturing and installation considerations.Long lengths are required for a typical floor slat (generallycorresponding to the length of a trailer). Aluminum slats can be massproduced by extrusion.

For reasons relating to the abrasive wear caused by certain kinds ofloads, there has been a need to develop a successful steel floor slatsystem in lieu of aluminum slats. Steel slats have been used in the pastin combination with aluminum slat parts. For example, spaced-apart,inverted “V”-shaped reciprocating slats have been made of steel and usedin combination with spaced-apart “fixed” slats made of aluminum. Thissystem has been used to haul certain kinds of heavy bulk material thatcreate loading impacts and abrasive wear on the moving slats—large rockwould be an example. In this design, the “moving” steel slats providebetter wear characteristics for the load-carrying surfaces. They arespaced from each other a certain distance and ride on bearings that aresupported by the underlying “fixed” aluminum slats. This design, as awhole, creates peaks and valleys from one side of the trailer to theother side, which is a function of the “V” shape.

The use of steel in the “V” configuration is a better design relative toall-aluminum systems for certain kinds of specialized haulingapplications. However, although the design works well for certainhauling applications, it does not provide a conveyor floor surface thatcan be driven on with a forklift. This is a drawback that limits the useof trailers that have this type of floor configuration. In other words,the trailer tends to be used “one way” and is empty on the return.

Truck haulers would like a “steel” floor slat system that can handle thespecialized loads carried by a “V”-shaped steel slat system, but onethat also provides a flat conveyor floor surface, from side-to-side, sothat a forklift can be driven onto the trailer's floor when empty. Thiswould allow the same trailer to be used to haul heavy bulk materials inone direction, but after unloading, the trailer can be loaded by aforklift in a conventional way with palletized loads, if desired. Thisis more utilitarian and allows the trailer to be used to generaterevenue on the back-haul, rather than come back empty.

For the above reason, and others discussed below, there has been a longfelt need for an “all steel” reciprocating floor system that can providemultiple uses. Because of the difficulty of manufacturing a suitablesteel slat system, as of yet, the reciprocating floor slat industry hasbeen unable to create a commercially viable “all-steel” floor slatdesign that can provide a flat, driveable surface inside the trailer.

The foregoing and other features will be better understood upon reviewof the drawings and description that follows.

SUMMARY

The several embodiments described and illustrated in this specificationinclude a roll-formed slat that may provide a load-carrying surface, orin the alternative, may have an additional strip of hardened steelattached above the roll-formed slat that provides the load bearingsurface. Regardless, the roll-formed steel slat is intended to be usedin a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system.

The roll-formed slat is formed from a strip of steel via a roll-formingprocess. The slat is formed to have at least an upper load-carryingsurface, or upper surface portion, as well as a pair of side legs, oneon each side of the upper load-carrying surface. Each side leg dependsdownwardly and laterally inwardly relative to the upper load-carryingsurface. Each side leg also terminates in the shape or form of alaterally inwardly directed foot portion.

The foot portion of one side leg is vertically offset relative to thefoot portion of the other side leg, in order to create a “hold-down”function relative to supporting bearings. The supporting bearingsprovide slidable support surfaces for back-and-forth reciprocatingmovement of the slat.

The purpose of the “hold-down” function is to allow the slat to capturea bearing edge in a manner so that the floor slat cannot risesubstantially while the slat reciprocates. The purpose of the“hold-down” function is to impede bulk materials, making up the load(which is a typical use of reciprocating conveyors), from workingdownward and between different reciprocating slats. One foot portionmight provide a “hold-down” function while the other foot portion (whichcan be vertically offset below the other one) may provide a supportingfunction, although design variables may dictate different arrangements.

The above summary is not intended to limit the claiming of differentembodiments described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, like reference numerals and letters refer to like partsthroughout the various views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an all-steel floor slat system;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but shows a different embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, but without showing anydetail on the specific construction of slat bearings;

FIG. 4 illustrates a series of different slat constructions for anall-steel conveyor;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of one of the slat constructions in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5, but shows a lateral slat seal on one sideof the slat;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6, but shows the slat on abearing;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but shows two slats side-by-side;

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 8, but shows the slats with bearings;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of another one of the slatconfigurations shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 10, but shows the FIG. 10 slat with a lateralseal;

FIG. 12 is similar to FIGS. 10 and 11, but shows the slat on a bearing;and

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12, but shows two slats together,mounted side-by-side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, shown generally at 10 isan improved “all-steel” floor slat system. The system 10 shown in FIG. 1(and other figures) consists of a series of floor slats, indicatedgenerally at 14 (further described below), that are positionedside-by-side from one side (typically a trailer wall) of the conveyor tothe other side.

Referring to FIG. 3, for example, arrow 10 illustrates the generallocation of the conveyor system relative to one wall 12, labeled as“steel wall.” The wall 12 could be a side-wall of a trailer or someother equivalent configuration. Trailer widths are typically about 96inches, although the width can be a variable.

Returning to FIG. 1, each individual slat configuration 14 shown in theFigure consists of a flat or top slat portion that is made of a flatstrip of steel (indicated generally by arrow 15); and a lower slatportion, also made of a strip of steel (indicated generally by arrow16). Unlike the top slat portion 15, the lower slat portion 16 isroll-formed into the desired cross-sectional shape, as shown.Roll-forming is important to the design and is further discussed below.

The top slat portion 15 (or “top slat”) provides the load bearingsurface. It can be made from a strip of hardened steel, such as steelthat is marketed under Hardox™ or Domex™ trademarks. As just mentioned,the top slat 15 is not roll-formed and, as can be seen in FIGS. 1-3, allof the top slats 15 collectively create a flat, load-bearing surfaceacross the side-to-side width of the conveyor system. This configurationallows the system to carry heavy bulk materials such as glass. Onceempty, a forklift can be driven onto it, to load pallets on the floor,if desired.

Each top slat 15 is suitably connected to the lower slat portion 16. Theconnection between the two slat portions 15, 16 can be made in manydifferent ways, i.e., by spot welding, rivets, bolts, or otherfasteners. An adhesive connection may also be possible. The point is:the top slat 15 provides a hardened steel surface that is connected tothe lower slat portion 16 by any viable means that can make the neededstructural connection.

The lower slat portion 16 is also made of steel, but it is a “milder”form of steel that can be roll-formed. “Mild” steel is a known term ofart.

FIG. 1 illustrates one version of the lower slat portion 16. There, thelower slat portion 16 has an upper horizontal surface 18 that is incontact with the lower horizontal surface 20 of the top slat 15 (seeleft-hand slat 14 in FIG. 1). The interface between these two surfaces18, 20, is the point where the two slat portions 15, 16 are connected,as described above. The lower slat portion 16 also has downwardly andinwardly depending legs 22, 24, one on each side, that extend down toinwardly directed, lateral “feet” 26, 28 (see central slat 14 in FIG.2).

The lower slat portion 16 is made from a single strip of mild steel thatis dimensioned to be bent into the configuration shown in FIG. 1 (otherconfigurations are discussed below). During the roll-forming process,the lower slat portion 16 is bent at 30, 32, 34, 36 into the shape shownin FIG. 1 (see the right-hand side of the Figure).

The slat configuration(s) 14 (i.e., the combination of portions 15 and16) reciprocate back and forth on a bearing (indicated generally byarrow 46) with the inside surface 48 of the lower slat portion 16 ridingon the top horizontal surface 50 of the bearing (see right-hand slat 14in FIG. 2). The bearing 46 is made of conventional plastic materials ofthe kind that are used in reciprocating floor conveyor systems. Thebearing 46 is typically designed to be load-supporting. However, for theall-steel system described here, the bearing also needs to provide a“hold-down” function and prevent “lift” of the slat 14 relative toothers. This is further described below.

In the embodiment in FIG. 1, the lower slat portion 16 is roll-formed sothat one of the slat feet 26 will be vertically offset (higher) relativeto the other one 28 (see central slat 14 in the Figure). In FIG. 1, theleft-hand slat foot 26 is shown in sliding contact with a lower lateraledge 44 of the bearing 46. The lateral edge 44 of the bearing 46 “holdsdown” the lower slat portion 16 and thereby prevents it from liftingupwardly, as the combination of top slat 15 and lower slat portion 16reciprocate on the bearing 46.

It is to be appreciated that it is desired to have bearing edge 44 inclose sliding contact with slat foot 26, with no gap or “slop” betweenthe two surfaces. It is likely that the shape or angles of thesesurfaces will be made so that there is resistance to any upward movementwhen these components are installed. Moreover, it may be preferred todesign bearing 46 so that is causes positive hold-down forces on eachslat 14. In other words, “positive” hold-down” means that the slat andbearing combination are assembled to minimize upward movement of theslat as it reciprocates.

On the other lateral side of the lower slat portion 16, the foot 28rests on a lower bearing flange 52. As can be seen, in this specificembodiment, there is no hold-down function because of a gap 54 (seegeneral arrow 54 vis-à-vis the right-hand slat configuration 14 inFIG. 1) between the foot 28 and a horizontal surface 56 on the otherlateral side of bearing 46. In this example, the offset allows the lowerfoot 28 to rest upon the bearing in a supporting relationship, ratherthan a “hold-down” relationship. The advantage is that the right-handfoot can be used to shift weight support from the bearing to underlyingsupport structure (not shown).

It is to be appreciated, at this point, that the “all-steel” nature ofthe design disclosed here provides certain advantages over aluminumslats. One advantage is that roll-forming allows the lower slat portions16 to have a uniform wall thickness (indicated generally by arrows 38 inFIGS. 1, 2, and 5-13) following the edge-to-edge contours of the lowerslat portion 16 (i.e., from edge 40 of one slat foot 26 to the edge 42of the other slat foot 28).

Steel also has a lower coefficient of friction, which means it should beeasier to drive a steel slat back and forth on a bearing surfacerelative to a similar part that is made from aluminum. This providesefficiencies in that less power may be required to drive abearing-mounted “all-steel” slat.

Steel slats also have a better degree of wear when one steel surface issliding against another. With respect to this point, and referring nowto the right-hand side of FIG. 2, each top slat portion 15 has an outerlateral edge 58 that extends over a gap 60, between slat configurations14, and rides on the outer edge 62 of the upper surface 18 of the lowerslat portion 16 (see left-hand side of FIG. 2).

Referring now to the right-hand side of FIG. 2, the interface (generalarrow 64) of items 58, 62 creates an area of sliding contact that mightnot be practical using aluminum, for reasons relating to wear. The loadon the top slat portion 15 normally presses edge 58 down onto surface 62with the pressure of the load causing a sliding/sealing action betweenadjacent lateral slat configurations. Although the precise dimensionshave not yet been determined, it is believed it is best to have aslittle overlap between surfaces 58 and 62 as possible. In other words,it is desirable to minimize the sliding contact surface in the regionindicated by arrow 64.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment where the feet 26, 28 ofthe lower slat portion 16 are not offset relative to each other. Inother words, the horizontal bearing surfaces 44, 56 both provide a“hold-down” function on opposite lateral sides of the bearing.

Before moving on to the other slat configurations illustrated in thedrawings, it is worthwhile to discuss the roll-forming tooling needed tocreate the slats. Roll-forming enables slat profiles to be made out ofsteel, in the forms illustrated in FIGS. 1-13, and in particular, invarious forms like the ones illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is particularly unique because it illustrates an alternative,“one strip” slat configuration 65 that may stand alone (i.e., withoutthe “hard” top slats 15 previously described). In other words, FIG. 5illustrates an “all steel” floor slat that is roll-formed from a singlestrip of steel, with top surface 67 carrying the load. In this specificconfiguration, one side leg 22 can be roll-formed to have the foldedside edge or side configuration that is indicated generally at 66. Thefolded edge provides a rounded or blunted side edge 68 for sliding ornear-sliding contact with an adjacent slat 72 (see FIG. 8).

Referring again to FIG. 5, roll-forming also enables a circular recess70 to be bent length-wise into the slat's side 22. The recess 70 wouldextend laterally along the length of the slat 65. The recess 70 isshaped to receive a lateral seal 74 that closes the gap 76 (see FIG. 8)between slats. An advantage to roll-forming is that the verticalposition of the recess 70 is easy to adjust relative to the verticalheight of side leg 22.

Using roll-forming, the configuration illustrated in the various Figs.can be made from relatively thin strips of mild steel (i.e., 16 or 18gauge). The inner edges 78, 80 of the lateral feet 26, 28 may also besuitable for folding, in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 5-9. This mayallow the lateral feet 26, 28 to function better with the type ofbearing illustrated in the figures for performing either the hold-downor supporting functions described above. For example, folding the edges78, 80, as shown, may be an improved way to attach the slat to thebearing 46. In other words, and while it is not illustrated in FIGS. 1and 2, specifically, the folded edges 78,80, may be a better way ofavoiding steel-to-plastic wear in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and2, where the feet slide back and forth against the underside of thebearing.

The slats illustrated in FIGS. 5-13 are different from the embodimentsof FIGS. 1-3 in that the slat embodiments in FIGS. 5-13 do not requirethe “hold-down” effect or function described above. However, it is to beappreciated that the type of bends and folds illustrated in FIGS. 5-13could be applied to the lower slat portions 16 in FIGS. 1-3. The pointis: roll-forming allows uniformly thin strips of steel to be shaped indifferent ways for reciprocating slats in a floor conveyor.

With respect to the steel recess 70 described above, in particular,aluminum slats have been made with integrated seal recesses that aresimilar in shape and function. However, the aluminum slats are extrudedand have required non-uniform material thickness in certain areas of theslat. This is believed to be an issue in the region of the recess. Withroll-formed steel slats, wall thickness remains the same through thevarious bends that are created during the roll-forming process.

Roll-forming also enables slat profiles to be made out of steel invarious cross-sectional configurations, as illustrated at 82, 84, 86,88, 90 in the lower half of FIG. 4. Although steel weighs more thanaluminum, the roll-forming process enables the wall thickness to be muchless than thicknesses required by aluminum (e.g., the 16 and 18 gaugesteel thicknesses discussed above), thereby reducing the total weight ofthe steel while still taking advantage of the better strength and wearqualities of steel versus aluminum.

Typically, roll-forming is a continuous bending operation that involvespassing a long strip of steel through sets of rollers in a continuousline, with different sets incrementally making part of a bend, until thefinal cross-sectional shape is achieved. This allows for optimizingstrip thickness while creating the variety of cross-sectional profilesdisclosed here, although different profiles require a dedicated set ofroll tools to create the desired final shape.

The design of the rolls may start with what is called a “flower pattern”that defines a sequence of sections of the final cross-section, eachsection corresponding to roll sets for making the desired bend. It isnot believed that anyone in the reciprocating floor conveyor industryhas conceived of the idea of using roll sets and roll-forming as amethod of manufacturing an all-steel floor slat system.

FIGS. 10-13 illustrate yet another slat configuration that correspondsto the slat configuration illustrated at 92 in FIG. 4. The primarydifference between configuration 92 and 65 is that the folded edge 68(initially described relative to slat 65 in FIG. 5) is blunted, as shownat 94.

The foregoing description is not intended to limit the scope of patentcoverage. The scope of patent coverage is to be limited only by thepatent claims allowed by the customs of local law, the interpretation ofwhich is to be made in accordance with the doctrines of patent claiminterpretation for the applicable jurisdiction.

What is claimed is:
 1. A roll formed steel slat for use in areciprocating floor slat conveyor system, comprising a slat formed froma strip of steel, the slat being formed to have at least an upper loadcarrying surface and a pair of side legs, with one side leg on eachlateral side of the upper load carrying surface, and with the side legsdepending downwardly and inwardly relative to the upper load carryingsurface, and further, with each side leg terminating in a laterallyinwardly directed foot portion, and with the foot portion of one sideleg being vertically offset relative to the foot portion of the otherside leg.
 2. The roll formed steel slat of claim 1, wherein eachinwardly directed foot portion includes a folded edge.
 3. A roll formedsteel slat for use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system,comprising a slat formed from a strip of steel, the slat being formed tohave at least an upper load carrying surface and a pair of side legs,with one side leg on each lateral side of the upper load carryingsurface, and with the side legs depending downwardly and inwardlyrelative to the upper load carrying surface, and further, with each sideleg terminating in a laterally inwardly directed foot portion, and witheach inwardly directed foot portion including a folded edge.